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Anonymous User wrote:Heard a story about a clerk at a federal circuit court who was working on an appeal that had significant impact on a particular industry that the clerk's dad owned a business in. When the opinion came out, it just so happened that it was good news for that industry. The clerk emailed the opinion to his dad, after it was published, with a tongue-in-cheek message like "You owe me for this one!"

It got back to the judge somehow and the clerk was quietly let go. This judge still tells the story when they're talking about "appearance of impropriety" type things. The judge was adamant (for obvious reasons) that the clerk had no impact on the actual outcome of the appeal, but that he just couldn't be kept on if he was willing to say things like that even in jest.

Anonymous User wrote:Heard a story about a clerk at a federal circuit court who was working on an appeal that had significant impact on a particular industry that the clerk's dad owned a business in. When the opinion came out, it just so happened that it was good news for that industry. The clerk emailed the opinion to his dad, after it was published, with a tongue-in-cheek message like "You owe me for this one!"

It got back to the judge somehow and the clerk was quietly let go. This judge still tells the story when they're talking about "appearance of impropriety" type things. The judge was adamant (for obvious reasons) that the clerk had no impact on the actual outcome of the appeal, but that he just couldn't be kept on if he was willing to say things like that even in jest.

one of my co-clerks routinely blew deadlines imposed by the judge, lied about opinion progress, turned in sloppy work when it did get done, took more time off than the rest of the clerks combined...and didnt get fired. so yes, with most, its a high bar.